Clock with illumination device

ABSTRACT

A clock having a case within which is mounted a dial with time indicia on the face thereof. The face of the dial is illuminated by a light source disposed on a backside of the dial. A lighttransmitting tube is disposed concentric with the dial and extends axially therethrough. Light from the light source is transmitted through the tube to an illumination device adjacent the frontside or face of the dial. The illumination device may be a reflector made integral with the clock &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;glass&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; or a separate edge-lighting disc. A condensing lens may be placed on the tube to improve light transmission to the illumination device. The reflector can have inclined surfaces for transmitting shafts of light to corresponding time indicia.

Uni

States atent 1191 Kitai Jan. 14, 1975 CLOCK WITH ILLUMINATION DEVICEPrimary ExaminerGeorge H. Miller Jr. 1 K t T k [75] mentor lyoshl Kl 0yo Japan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert E. Burns; [73] Assignee: SeikoKoki Kabushiki Kaisha E manuel J, Lob m; Bruce L, Adams [22] Filed: May7, 1974 21 Appl. 190.; 467,749 [57] ABSTRACT A clock having a casewithin which is mounted a dial with time-indicia on the face thereof.The face of the [30] Forelgn Apphcatmn Pnomy Data dial is illuminated bya light source disposed on a May 9, 1973 Japan backside of the Alighbtransmitting tube is disposed concentric with the dial and extendsaxially U-S. R the ethr ugh from the ource is transmit- Cl. n tedthrough the tube to an illumination device adja Flew of Search 53/50 50A cent the frontside or face of the dial. The illumination device may bea reflector made integral with the clock References Clted glass or aseparate edge-lighting disc. A condensing UNITED STATES PATENTS lens maybe placed on the tube to improve light trans- 666,381 1/1901 Gareau58/50 R mission to the illumination device The reflector can 2,212,3598/1940 Wil x 533/50 R have inclined surfaces for transmitting shafts oflight 3,430,433 3/1969 Sandor 58/50 R to corresponding time indicia.3,490,226 1/1970 Anderson et al 58/50 R 3,590,233 6/1971 Protzmann et al553/50 R x 6 Claims, 2 Drawmg Flgures I a a L k iaa CLOCK WITHILLUMINATION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesgenerally to clocks and more particularly to clock illumination devices.

Different illumination device constructions for illuminating clock dialsare known. Some of the devices have an electric bulb mounted in thecenter of the dial. These devices generally do not illuminate the entireface of the dial uniformly and the leads to the electric bulb generallyare obstructed by the watch movement or interfere therewith so that theconstruction thereof is relatively complex. Other illuminationtechniques are known such as mounting a plurality of light bulbs spacedaround or about the dial face. This does not provide for uniformillumination. In order to provide for uniform illumination over the dialface the use of a circular florescent lamp has been employed. Howeverthis requires that the clock be made quite large and the appearance ofthe face of the clock is not pleasant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a compact clock instruction with a new and improved illuminationdevice.

According to the invention a clock is provided with a case internally ofwhich is disposed a dial provided coaxially therewith with a centraltubular element through which light is conducted from a source of lightbehind the dial. The light is transmitted to an illumination device,which may be a reflector, disposed spaced relatively to the face of thedial and made integral with the clock glass or crystal or independentthereof. The illumination device is constructed to reflect or apply thelight on the dial face in rays of light in registry with the timeindicia on the face of the dial. In order to improve the transmission oflight through the tubular element, to the illumination device, acondenser lens may be provided.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of parts of a watchmovement coaxial with the tubular light-transmitting tube and rotatablymounted thereon in order to make the clock compact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of aclock according to the invention will appear from the followingdescription of an example of the invention, and the novel features willbe particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a clock according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of details of a second embodimentof a clock according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A clock according to theinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The clock comprises a case 1internally of which is mounted a dial 2 with time indicia on the facethereof. The face of the dial is viewed through a transparent front faceplate 3 made of glass or acryl resin or some similar substance. Thebackside of the dial is provided with a plurality of internally threadedtubular elements 4 disposed circumferentially relative to each other. Abase plate or backplate 5 is mounted on these elements with screws 6.

An open ended, light-transmitting tube 7 is disposed coaxially with thedial and back plate and secured to the latter and extends axiallyforwardly of the face of the dial 2. A reflector 8 made integral withthe transparent front plate or glass is disposed spaced from thelight-transmitting tube and coaxial therewith. It receives light from alight bulb 9 which transmits its light through the tube 7 onto thereflector 8. The reflector reflects the light back on the dial face.

The reflector 8 can produce an aesthetic effect by being designed invarious forms, for example if it is made in dodecagonal conical form asshown in the drawing. At the same time the inclined surfaces thereof canbe made to direct light rays or shafts of light to the time indicia onthe dial face. Light will be reflected radially from the reflectorsurfaces and impinged directly on the same time indicia as well asbeautifully illuminating the face of the dial. A condensing lens 10 ismounted on the after end of the tube 7 and improves the transmission ofthe light through the tube 7. It is, however, not necessary to theinvention.

The electric light bulb 9 is mounted in a socket 11 fixed on thebackside of the base plate 5. Electrical connections or leads 12 areconnected to the socket for connection to an external power source or aninternal battery, not shown, as the case may be.

The clock is provided with a watch movement which has parts disposedcoaxially with the light-transmitting tube 7. Thus a minute-hand tubularshaft 13 is rotatably mounted on the tubular element on shaft 7 andcoaxially therewith is mounted an hour-hand tubular shaft 14. Thehour-hand tubular shaft is rotatably mounted on the minute-hand shaft13. A minute-hand 15 is mounted on the forward end of the minute-handshaft 13. An hour hand 16 is mounted at the forward end of the hour-handshaft.

The motive power of the clock mechanism or movement, not shown,comprises an electric motor, for example a synchronous motor, coupled tothe minutehand shaft 13 through a gear 17 thereby the minutehand isrotated at a definite speed. The minute-hand shaft 13 rotation istransferred to the hour-hand shaft 14 through a small gear 18, a largegear 20 meshing with a small gear 18 and supported by a shaft 19,another small gear wheel 21 fixed to the large gear wheel 20 and anotherlarge gear 22 meshing with the small gear 21 and fixed to thehour-handshaft 14. The hour hand is thereby rotated at a definite speedwhich lower than the speed of rotation of the minute-hand.

It is possible to make the reflector in various configurations such asconical or star-shaped. It is likewise possible to eliminate thereflector by using the flat surface of the transparent front plate 3 asa reflector. If made conical the apex of the cone is closer to the dialface than the base thereof.

A second embodiment of a clock according to the invention is illustratedin FIG. 2. The fragmentary illustration shows a dial 2' and a clockplate or glass 3. A light-transmitting open ended tube 7 is disposedwith a minute-hand tubular shaft 13 and an hour-hand shaft 14' rotatablymounted thereon as before described. A minute-hand l5 and the hour-hand16' are likewise illustrated.

In this embodiment a reflector 8' made of acrylic resin, glass or someother reflective material is installed in the forward end of thelight-transmitting shaft 7 The reflector 8' has a circular edge-lightingportion 23 having a light-receiving axial projection 24 which isinserted and held in the light-transmitting tube 7 The circularedge-light portion or disc 23 of the reflector transmits light radiallyoutwardly through its peripheral surface 25 thereof and transmits thislight to the face of the dial 2.

The circular edge-light portion 23 may be constructed with a propernumber of rod like bodies, not shown, extending radially therefrom inaligment with the time indicia on the face of the dial 2 fortransmitting rays of light directly to the light indicia. Moreover theperipheral surface edge 25 may be made as a rough surface to carry outedge-light effects efficiently.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent l. A clockcomprising, a case, a dial mounted internally of said case and havingtime indicia on a face thereof, a light-transmitting open ended tubecoaxial with said dial and extending therethrough, a light sourcedisposed spaced from a backside of said dial transmitting light throughsaid tube and forwardly of said dial, illumination means disposed spacedfrom the 4 t face of the dial, receiving the light transmitted throughsaid tube and transmitting it on to the face of the dial.

2. A clock according to claim 1, including a condensing lens receivinglight from said light source and transmitting it through said tube tosaid reflector.

3. A clock according to claim 1, in which said illumination meanscomprises an edge-light transmitting disc having an axiallight-transmitting extension received in an end of saidlight-transmitting tube, said disc transmitting light along a peripheralsurface thereof on to the face of the dial.

4. A clock according to claim 1, in which said illumination meanscomprises reflector means comprising a plate at least semitransparent,closing the case and through which said dial is viewable.

5. A clock according to claim 4, in which said reflector means comprisesa plate having some transparency for viewing said dial therethrough, andhaving a central region conical in configuration and having an apexnearer the dial than a base of said configuration.

6. A clock according to claim 5, in which said reflector means comprisessurfaces for reflecting individual shafts of light on to correspondingtime indicia.

l l l

1. A clock comprising, a case, a dial mounted internally of said caseand having time indicia on a face thereof, a lighttransmitting openended tube coaxial with said dial and extending therethrough, a lightsource disposed spaced from a backside of said dial transmitting lightthrough said tube and forwardly of said dial, illumination meansdisposed spaced from the face of the dial, receiving the lighttransmitted through said tube and transmitting it on to the face of thedial.
 2. A clock according to claim 1, including a condensing lensreceiving light from said light source and transmitting it through saidtube to said reflector.
 3. A clock according to claim 1, in which saidillumination means comprises an edge-light transmitting disc having anaxial light-transmitting extension received in an end of saidlight-transmitting tube, said disc transmitting light along a peripheralsurface thereof on to the face of the dial.
 4. A clock according toclaim 1, in which said illumination means comprises reflector meanscomprising a plate at least semitransparent, closing the case andthrough which said dial is viewable.
 5. A clock according to claim 4, inwhich said reflector means comprises a plate having some transparencyfor viewing said dial therethrough, and having a central region conicalin configuration and having an apex nearer the dial than a base of saidconfiguration.
 6. A clock according to claim 5, in which said reflectormeans comprises surfaces for reflecting individual shafts of light on tocorresponding time indicia.